1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a garment folding apparatus and method which assists the user in neatly folding garments after cleaning, for storage, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a garment folding apparatus which enables the user to fold a garment neatly and uniformly without undesirable wrinkles or creases. After the garment is suitably folded, the apparatus is removed so as to leave a uniformly-folded garment.
2. Description of Relevant Art
The neat and uniform folding of garments after they have been cleaned, for stacking on retail store shelves or displays, and/or for storage, is critical to the prevention of wrinkling and creasing. A properly folded garment not only reduces or eliminates ironing, it permits neat and orderly storage or display of garments. Neatly and uniformly folded garments are desired not only by homemakers doing laundry, but also by those in the cleaning industry, retail garment establishments, and the like.
Heretofore, the neat and uniform folding of garments has proven to be a relatively difficult and tedious operation to accomplish. In folding a garment such as a shirt, for example, painstaking care, patience and time is required for proper folding without undesirable wrinkles or creases. This problem becomes particularly acute where a large number of garments are to be folded after laundering or dry cleaning, or when they are to be stacked for display in a store.
Various known devices have been provided for assisting the user in folding garments such as shirts or the like. Generally, however, such devices have been relatively complicated both in structure and in use. The following patents disclose exemplary devices of this nature.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,565,621 issued in 1925 to Cahn discloses a three-part garment wrapping and hanging form including a vertical stand which pivotally supports a wrapping board provided with a removable hanger which supports a garment as it is being wrapped on the board. A similar three-part arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,703 issued in 1926 to Cahn. U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,172 issued in 1976 to Wiedemann et al discloses a stiffening panel about which a shirt is folded, the panel having a projection for pushing under a shirt collar and a slit for receiving a shirt sleeve, thus eliminating the need for pins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,574 issued in 1992 to Usco et al discloses a shirt-folding device including a plate hingedly connected to a frame having locking pieces. A shirt is folded around the plate while the frame and locking pieces hold it in position against the plate, after which the entire device is removed from the folded shirt.
The present invention overcomes the problems associated with such known devices by providing a garment folding apparatus which is simplified in structure and very convenient to use. Further, the invention enables a user to fold garments considerably more neatly and uniformly than is possible without the apparatus. The apparatus is removed from the folded garment after folding operations are complete, so that it is very inexpensive to use inasmuch as it can be used time and again to fold large numbers of garments.